The Impact of Consumer Characteristics on Preferences for Selected Apple Varieties

Abstract

This study examines consumer varietal preferences for three apple varieties. Paired sensory and visual tests were conducted on college age individuals age 25 and under with New England grown McIntosh and Empire apples and Washington State grown Red Delicious. Qualitative choice models were used in the study to assess the impact of consumer characteristics on their choice of most preferred apple variety from the sensory and visual tests. In the blind-sensory tests, consumers demonstrate their ability to identify the sensory attributes of their most preferred apple variety, a dominant factor affecting their choices of apples. On the other hand, visual test results indicate that consumer preference for apple varieties differs by age and sex of the consumer.